Back to Business Plan, PPP Added Funding and FAQ's, J-1Visas
April 24, 2020
Dear WH&LA Lodging Member:

The following are a few updates you may find of interest:

More Funding for federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) & EIDL Loans Program
There are a number of articles out already on how Congress late yesterday did approve an added  $324 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program   (PPP ), and  $60 billion more for the SBA Disaster Relief Fund (EIDL).  If you had tried to apply after the funding was gone, now is the time to try again, as the new funding levels will likely once again go fast. A new  PPP Frequently Asked Questions document  was released late yesterday, which may be helpful.

Back to Business Proposal
This morning the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) publicly released a plan they have been working on with a state Senator and numerous organizations called  “Back to Business” . This plan is designed to help Wisconsin businesses get back on track as COVID-19 phases out. Utilizing experts from the healthcare industry, state agencies, and business industry associations, the format is based on a number of risk factors and it enables a business to enter 3 simple questions (business name, county located in, and NAICS code) to automatically generate a “Risk Level” for that business ranging from 1 (minimal) to 2 (moderate) to 3 (substantial) based on many factors ranging from healthcare factors in that county to the type of business it is. Once the rate level is generated, recommendations are also generated specific to the type of business to note actions they could take to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19. The free computer-generated test could be taken weekly to address regional healthcare updates, so as the risk level goes down, what the business should do to mitigate the spread is reduced.

The WH&LA was invited to provide lodging industry suggestions, and a Task Force was created to accomplish an interactive discussion on what components should be addressed, and put it into draft form. Our Task Force provided the suggestions to the WMC for inclusion in their plan, along with separately the WRA and Tavern League, on the basis that a proactive approach is much better than waiting for directives to be adopted by those outside the industries. While the WH&LA is supportive of protecting the health of our guests, employees, and the public, we are also interested in carefully planned movement to getting back to business in a reasonable timeframe that will help the lodging industry to also economically recover. We were not part of the specific date suggested in the WMC Back to Business Plan, but the model itself has strong merit and having a conceptual data-driven model like this gain bi-partisan support from the legislature and administration could be very helpful to getting on the road to recovery.

The Back to Business model was presented to WEDC and other state officials late yesterday, while WEDC is reviewing multiple options for creating an extensive re-opening plan for businesses. On a conference call today, Department of Tourism Secretary-Designee Sara Meaney and WEDC Secretary-Designee Missy Hughes outlined their interest in accumulating tourism industry information and suggestions such as what WH&LA and others submitted, to see how that could blend with what they are hoping to accomplish in the coming weeks.

Immigration Executive Order – Impact on Visas
The WH&LA has contacted AH&LA for interpretive guidance on the new President’s Executive Order on Immigration signed yesterday, as we have received member questions on how that might impact J-1 visas and H-2B visas this summer. It was anticipated that these visas would be exempt, however the final language appeared less clear. We will advise when more is known.

Please watch for another One-Minute Survey that we are hoping to get out late this afternoon!

Stay well,

Trisha
Trisha A. Pugal, CAE
Interim CEO
Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association
262-782-2851